Cornacarpio's Cumulative Carp Culling Caper

[Cornacarpio]

Well, I headed out to the wild west (Wimmera) part of the state for the now traditional father & son fish off on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day at Taylors Lake. As is the family custom, I was chasing imported species, namely Carp, while my Dad was chasing natives, namely a Silver Perch, Yellowbelly or maybe even a Murray Cod.

It was near perfect conditions: it was a relitively hot night and barely a ripple on the water. Better still, being Christmas Eve, we were virtually the only ones there. We both thought a big bag of fish - both native and imported - was imminent. Several hours in, and reality had shattered our lofty expectations. Not one bite or nibble. Not even our bait was gone! As dusk was rapidly approaching, my rod, loaded with corn, made a very uncharacteristic dive towards the water. Finally! A fish...as I was fighting the fish and reeled it closer to shore, I noticed it had some very uncarp like characteristics...first it looked black, then yellow. A native? Possibly a Silver Perch or Yellowbelly? It wasn't until I landed it that I realised it was a Murray Cod - only the second one I've ever caught - coincidently also on corn from the very same Lake! I couldn't believe it and neither could my Dad. I raced to the car to get the no-frills brag matt - it came it at 50cm, some 5cm under the legal limit. Despite having a little trouble unhooking it (from some $2 hooks I found at Savers in Footscray) I cut the line as close to the hook as possible and it swam off like a bird released, fit to fight another day.

Unfortuneatly/fortunately that was the only highlight of the night. There was no more bites nor fish after that, but I couldn't believe it - a Cod on corn - again! The next day (Christmas Day) we decided to try a new spot. Again, our lofty expectations weren't quite met. Although this time I got what I was after - a Carp - on worms! So it was Cod-on-corn and Carp-on-worm. I got two more Carp for the day (one on worms and one on corn) and missed a few as well. Probably should have ended up with at least half a dozen Carp, but that's fishing. Sometimes it's just like a box of chocolates...



+3

2016/17 Total: 14 (Cumulative Total: 1151)

CARP
Scientific name Cyprinius Carpio. Also known as European carp, Euro, common carp, koi, blubber lips, mud sucker. Lightly scaled individuals known as mirror carp and those with no or very few scales are known as leather carp.

From the Australian Fish Guide by Frank Prokop, (2012), Australian Fishing Network, Unit 19-20, 52 Corporate Boulevard, Bayswater, Victoria, 3153, p.9

[Cornacarpio]

Headed out on the last day of the year in picture perfect conditions to try and catch some Trout in one of the many bountiful streams in the majestic Grampians National Park. The plan was simple: to find a stream and wade along it, flicking artificial spinners and lures to the many large and predatory Trout that invariably reside in such a waterway. Alas, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry, and so it was with my expedition. About 15 minutes in to my fishing journey, I noticed the small tackle box, containing at least 2 Rapala CD 5s and an assortment of other lures, that I had stuffed into the pocket of my board shorts, had fallen out and floated downstream, never to be seen again

To make matters worse, hardly a Trout was sighted all day, and I kept getting smashed by micro-redfin. All in all, a very disappointing day, although I did get to see my first Murray Crayfish in the flesh (figuratively speaking). Who was it that said "the worst day fishing is better than the best day at work"?

Redfin Perca Fluviatilis
As the Latin poet, Terence, remarked ‘As many men, so many opinions’; certainly this is true of the redfin. Both trout enthusiasts and champions of native fish abhor them, complaining that they offer unfair competition to their own preferred species. Other fishermen gratefully accept the easy sport and the good meal which redfin provide.

From Encyclopedia of Australian Fishing (1979), Bay Books, 157-167 Bayswater Road, Rushcutters Bay, NSW, Volume II, part 39, p.1545

[deathray]

Excellent return to inclusion of excerpt with citation. Great report Redfin Bill.

[Cornacarpio]

Headed out today to where my love of Carping truly began; an eponymous and isolated stretch of water in the dry and sparsely populated Wimmera region.

I took two rods with me today; one sporting the traditional running sinker rig for a spot of 'ledgering' to use the UK vernacular, and one rigged with a tiny bubble float for some sight-casting. As my 'ledgering' rod remained motionless for several minutes, I decided to take a more active approach to my carping adventure and took my rod loaded with a bubble float (and a piece of corn) for a bit of a walk. It wasn't long (or far) - about 20m away - before I spotted a Carp mooching around on the surface. I cast right past it and reeled it in so the corn sat almost on the surface right in front of its nose. It didn't hesitate at all and duly accepted the offering. Despite being only 50 or so centimeters, it gave a great account of itself and I was once again reminded why I love 'carping' so much. It went a bit quiet after that, so I jumped in the car and tried spot no.2.

Same old story - the ledgering rod was suffering from rigour mortis so I decided to try a more active approach. Again, it wasn't long before I spotted another carp (several actually) in a small pool that couldn't have been more than a couple of inches deep. Because of the elevated banks, my only issue was sneaking up on them without spooking them. I remember reading somewhere that carp don't have good eyesight - so I edged closer and closer to the water - if I stay still enough how could the carp possibly distinguish me from an old tree? I thought. I got to the edge and was only metres away from the carp. I got this far, but casting at them in such a small body of water may prove be difficult. The casting action would surely spook them. I got this far without being noticed, I thought what the hell, I'll see how much further I can go without scaring them all off. To my surprise, I managed to climb onto the log above the water, directly above them. I couldn't have been more than 2 feet away from the carp in the water below. But little did they know it, they probably thought I was a dead branch! So I lowered my corn directly into one of the carp's mouth - It barely (if at all) hot the water before the carp took it. I love these country carp I thought to myself, unlike the bread-sniffing ones in Gardners creek who smell your bait, nudge it, breath on it, mouth it - do everything but bloody eat it! Again, a great fight ensued, but it scared all the other carp away in the swim after such a strenuous tussle. Lucky for me, I caught 2 more carp in a similar fashion, both within walking distance of each other.

After that, things got a bit quiet, so I decided to jump in the car again and travel to spot no.3 for the day. This final spot was amazing. In a small rock pool (although still connected to the River proper, or else I could have probably just caught them all with my landing net) that couldn't have been any more than a foot in its deepest part, there must have been about 20-40 Carp swimming around. What's more amazing is that I managed to pull 3 from the exact same spot, without spooking them too much. When they went off the bite a bit, I decided to go home. As I was walking back to the car, I couldn't help but notice about 20 carp mouths protruding out of the water and breathing the air in the water that seemed to be wholly covered by gum leaves. 'Just one more carp before I leave' I thought. Here I had to play the waiting game. I was probably there for about 10 minutes before my float finally submerged. On the end of it, was probably my biggest specimen for the day - a carp I would estimate to be in the 60cm range (left my brag matt at home, grrr).

All in all, I had a great day. I caught 7 Carp in 3 different locations along the river. I usually like to take a Carp 'group photo' of them altogether so as to maintain the veracity of this thread, but I covered a few miles today by both car and foot, and couldn't be bothered lugging around each Carp I caught today from spot to spot, so you'll just have to take my word for it. They were all of a pretty decent (and similar) size (50-60ish cm) and each one of them put up a great fight and kind of rekindled my passion for carp fishing after all the 'micro carp' I've been catching in the urban jungle of late.

+7

2016/17 Total: 21 (Cumulative Total: 1158)


The flame of the sunset lifted from the mountain-tops and dusk came into the valley, and a half-darkness came in among the willows and the sycamores. A big carp rose to the surface of the pool, gulped air, and then sank mysteriously into the dark water again, leaving widening rings on the water. Overhead the leaves whisked again and little puffs of willow cotton blew down and landed on the pool’s surface.

From Steinbeck, J. (1937) Of Mice and Men, Pan Books 1974, Cavaye Place, London, p.15

[Lightningx]

Nice work mate! Great pics

[Cornacarpio]

Headed out to the River today for another go at the Carp. I traversed pretty much the same spots I did the other day, but with very different results. Many of the rockpools that had large schools of Carp were practically empty. I did however, run a lure through one of the pools which had what I assumed were large school of Redfin swimming around. I was pleasantly surprised when I reeled in a small silver perch - my very first on a lure!

I walked along the River for a couple of k's and dropped a line in spots that looked 'fishy'. I got 2 from a nice looking spot and sight-casted 1 more after that. I would have liked to have caught a few more, but that's fishing.

+3

2016/17 Total: 24 (Cumulative Total: 1161)

Wimmera River

The Wimmera River rises near Elmhurst in the Pryrenees ranges and extends to north of the Wyperfield National Park in the Mallee. The water seldom reaches Wyperfield National Parkafter having to fill Lake Hindmarsh and Albacutya on the way. At present the water extends through the entire length of the River to Lake Hindmarsh with Lake Albacatya being dry.

From Fishing Wimmera Waters by Gary Knight (1989), Sportfish Australia Publications, Noorat, Vic, 3265, p.43

[Cornacarpio]

Headed out to Cherry Lake (CL) today for a bit of a fish. On the way there via the bike track in the Williamstown area along the beach/grassland area I came across a f**king big snake! I couldn't believe it - right in the middle of suburbia just about! I went to grab my phone in my bag to take a photo, but it slivered off before I could get the chance, and I didn't feel like chasing it...

I rocked up to CL with Coles homebrand bread this time, as corn hadn't been producing for me lately. As I arrived at my usual spot, I thought "I cant remember seeing these many rocks here before" I was there for a good 5-10 minutes before I realised they weren't rocks - they were Carp schooled up in groups of 4-6! When I realised this, I decided that it was time to change to a bubble float, as opposed to a running sinker. As I was re-rigging up, some kid walked past, noticed the fish, then ran down to the shore and yelled "Daddy, daddy look - fish" then the whole family came down and started pointing and scaring the school away. "That was my chance" I thought as I sat in silence secretly pissed off that that kid and his parents had scared off a school of carp. A few minutes later my float was bobbing up and down with a nice little Carp on the end of it. "This could be my day" I thought.

A while later the school of Carp returned. They were just outside casting distance - or so I thought. I gave it my best and did my biggest cast that was humanly possible with just a tiny float and a piece of bread attached. Woosh! Right in the middle of them. I scared them off, or so I thought. As I was reeling my line in I felt some weight on the end of it. A (relatively) big carp was on! My reel started zinging...and then it stopped! I had to open the bail and put my hand on the spool to play the fish (this was on an old crappy telescopic rod I found in the garage at my old place). As all this commotion was going on, an elderly gentleman was walking past with his wife and grabbed my butterfly net to help me land the fish. "You need a bigger net" he said. "Just get the head in" I said. It was lucky he was walking past actually. When I cast at the school of Carp, I was a fair way my from my original spot and the fish was very lightly hooked - I pulled it out without any effort at all. He went 67cm - not huge, but not tiny either.

After that, there was a steady stream of bites as I wished that the schooling Carp were just a little bit closer to shore, but alas, it was not to be. I ended up with 6 all up and feel I was getting a bit of my 'carp mojo' back. I was starting to go off Cherry Lake a bit, but it's amazing what a change of rig - and bait - can do. Bread definitely has to be the number 1 choice for Carp fisherman in an urban environment IMO. And much like Gardners Creek, it seems that Carp find bread suspended under a float simply irresistable.

There was a few people there with rods today. There was even a guy in a kayak there! The mob next to be seemed to be getting bites, and fairly small carp and fairly regular intervals. Anyway, it was good to get back into the Carp again!



+6

2015/16 Total: 30 (Cumulative Total: 1167)

Range
Introduced into Australia in 1872, the carp did not have a significant impact until the so-called Boolara strain escaped into Lake Hawthorn near Mildura in 1964. Since then the carp has spread widely throughout the Murray-Darling drainage and coastal systems along the east coast and recently Tasmania. A recent report from the Peel-Harvey system near Mandurah Western Australia indicates that the spreads may not yet be complete. Introductions are likely to continue through escaped koi carp from farm dams or poorly designed garden ponds.

From the Australian Fish Guide by Frank Prokop, (2012),p.9

[rb85]

Great stuff Cornacarpio. Used to spend many days sitting on a bank catching these hard fighting but stinky pests.

[davek]

Nice haul CC, cheers davo.

[Lightningx]

Nice work mate once again